Saturday, September 15, 2012

"At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind." ~ Michael Pollan

When I selected this month's BITE theme as "local foods", I was unaware that in many circles, September is considered "Local Foods Month"! I suppose that it makes sense though, considering that summer's bounty has just about reached its pinnacle in September. If you have been following along with me, you know that I have been preparing for my main course of tomato sauce and pasta for quite some time. You can refer back to my previous posts in order to find the local sources of my ingredients, but they all came together wonderfully. I would have to say that the only thing I would have done differently would have been to make the pasta a bit thicker. Even though the sauce was thin (which is how I prefer it), the pasta was a bit delicate.We began with a selection of local beverages. We live in the heart of Finger Lakes country, which is home to some amazing vineyards and wineries. I chose two wines, and one grape-juice to accompany our meal.

Ellen arrived with her appetizer of bruschetta and salsa, directly from her garden - a bit difficult to provide a recipe - just pick and chop!

A burst of fresh summer flavor!

Chris provided our side-dishes, with ingredients also from her garden and the Homer Farmer's Market. Please forgive me, Chris, for not getting a photo of your beautiful ratatouille! I don't know how that happened! Here is the photo that accompanies Saveur'srecipe, which is the one that Chris followed - absolutely delicious.

Just seeing these pictures brings me right back to our delicious evening! The fresh flavors and creative spin on each dish made our meal that much more delightful. Thanks again for opening a bottle of local Concord grape juice, Tracy!

About Me

I am a retired junior high teacher who lives in Central New York. I have always enjoyed the arts, reading and making things with my own hands. Sadly, as a new interest in cooking has emerged, so has the need to eat less - is there no justice?!
I have a wonderful husband and son who are always supportive of my ventures. I also have a diverse group of friends who feed my need for laughter, creativity, and shoulders to lean on.
I am one lucky lady!